Optical instrument



N 1, 1944- o. w.v BOUGHTON ET AL 2,363,388

' OPTICAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 7, 1942 2 Sheets-Shet 1 "Elena OLIN W.BOUGHTON HENRY F.KURTZ INVENT RS ATTORNEYS 'Nov. 21,- 1944. Q w BQUGHTON ET AL 2,363,388

OPTICAL INSTRUMENT v Filed March 7, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 OLIN w. BOUGHTON HENRY F. KURTZ INVENTORS ATTORNEY mounted on a support Patente'd Nov. 21, 19 44 tion of NewYork v ins- The invention relates oeoptical apparatus and more particularly has reference to, instruments such as projectorsandthe transparency holding means therefor.-. W

Incertain ,uses ofzprojectorsfnotably in my nection, with their vemploymentin the art. of

to the projected must .be accurately located with flascaass' p v OPTICAL INSTRUMENT Boughton; Victor, and Henry F. Kurtz;

Rochester, N. Y., assignors to Bausch & Lo'mb 'ptic'aFCompany, Rochester, N Y., a corpora:

' j Application Mme 7,1942, seiia1.1v6.-4s3,814 f j (Cl. 818-26);

aerial mapping, the centerzof thetransparency V respect to the optical axis ofctheinstrument. .It I

isdesirable to accomplish this with a degree .oi

precision which is 'highenthan that/attained with devices [of theip-rior art.

;;Hence,,an obj ect; of this invention to provide an improved projection isystem. Another object is-ithe provisionrin aiprojector of novel meansfor holding a diapositive;or;-other transparency. Yet

another, object-,is;to;devise: a. transparency holder whichtpermits; the transparency to. be located with .respect to r. the ;optical :axis J of the optical system with exceedinglyifine accuracy, Aiurther object of the-invention resides inthe provision of means, for;adjusting:1the diapositive holder of;a projectorby applyinga plurality of forces of variablemagnitudes toceach of a pair of adjacent sides of the; holder while urging the holderagainst these forces; Theseand other-objects and advantages residein certain novel iea-v tures of construction-,-arrangement and combination. of parts to be hereinaftermore fully set forth nd l ed... 1

Referring to the drawingspwherein like refer; encecharacters ,ind-icateivlike parts throughout the different viewsz -o Eigure ;1 is a 'sideelevationof an optical instru rnentwhichiembodies the invention.

Figure 2 is aside elevation of thesupport which carries the diapositive in the instrumentof Figure 1 together ,withaamicroscope in. position on the support to aid-;in,-the' location, of the diapositive with respectgto theoptical axisof the in-' e me ,Figure 3 is I a plan viewiof the support and dia-. positive holder assemblyv "Figure/l; is asectionallelevation .on the line t r Fi u e 1 Figures 5, 6 v and "7 are broken away sectional elevations vtaken respectively on i the lines 5-75,

1: off F ures;

1Figure '.8 is a planv iew -.-of a ithjt ieinvent' a a The inventionustrated: in connection with atproj ectorr comprising a,;housing' 10 which is 12 Support II is mounted in such manner that it is fapositive used considerable play between: them .:-and the largest v 7. l adapted to be carried suitable 31 311,. not rss j qw l in the drawings,

rotatable about the optical axis of the projector.

'Withinthe housing ID are condenser-lenses l2 andalightsource such as the electric bulb I4 carried in' a conventional socket which is adapt-- ed to be connected to a suitable source of elec-- tricity.

;An opening 15 extends-through the support II andhas a lens mount lBw therein for the objec- ,tive lens 11. One endof support H has a flanged portion which surrounds the opening I5 and provides a support surface or stage l8' fora dia-' positive holder and also a seat for the housing H1. The latter is removablyi-secured to the support: in any, conventional manner; When housing Ill andsupport' II are assembled as shown in- Figure 1, the lenses l2- and Ileana the light source .14 are located in suitable alignment and the optical axis of the'system is positioned so that it is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the surface 18. l w

The just described system provides a conventionalsmeans 'for projecting a transparency, such as the diapositive plate It This is shown in Figure 8.asrhaving a fiducial mark 20 located at substantially the center of onecf its surfaces through which light is projected. Diapositive I9 is adapted to be'carriedina'holder 2|, which is disclosed'in Figures B and. 4, in the form of a quad? rilateral shaped frame provided with the fiat flange portion 22 in surrounding relation to the opening through the holder. Buttons' 23, which project above the flange 22,'provide:a seat on which the diapositive; l9-ispslidab1y mounted.

' These buttons23 are adapted to support the'workingj-faces of thediapositive in planes whichare' substantially parallertotheflange 22. 1 Where desired, .holder .ZLmay be formed to other geometrical shapes, 1;; i

JIhe dimensions between thesidesof thediapositive holder-2| areisufiiciently great to allow diapositive plate l9 that itheiholder isexpected to accommodate. This permits a diapositive l9 to be readily seated in the holder 21. i In use of the instrument, the diapositive is. approximately cen-' teredwith respect. tor-lthe" opening through the seat 22 of the, holder; and is retained in the holder in such position; -.This- :practiceis made possible I by providing cutaway p'ortionsfin the sides of the holder 2 1- in which-icammingmeans in the form of conical or {tapered rollers 24 are :eccentrically mounted'forrotationonistuds 25. a

"Eachstud'25is threaded into the holder toex- --tend in a direction substantially parallel. to the optical axisof the projector, A suitable head on each stud retains the roller thereon. Adjustment of the various studs 25 controls the ease with which the rollers 24 are rotated. A slot in the end of each roller most distant from the holder 2| is provided to facilitate rotation of the same. Five rollers are shown, two on one side of the holder 2| and one on each of the other sides. The pair of rollers on the same side and the roller on a side adjacent thereto areemployed in approximately centering the' diapositive while they serve with the other rollers to retain the dia H positive in the holder in its centered position.

When mounting a diapositive in the holderih the camming means are rotated to positions of minimum throw so that theportions ofth'e sura' faces of rollers 24 adaptedto ontaictthefldia-llf positive I9 are located towardstlie'outside of the holder and away from its center. Following this procedure, a diapositive is placedin thehold-L er and the three rollers used for centering are properly manipulated so that the diapositive will be roughly centered when; twojoflits adjacent a sidesare moved into; contact with these rollers.

The retentionof the diapositive plate inithehold-v eris. then effected by. rotation Loft'the remaining. rollers 24 1170. ,bring'Jtheir contact" surfaces into Rotation of ,the

bearing with the diapositive. rollers 24in the reverse? direction will-.freesthem fromj contact. with-the; diapositive zplate I9 and 1 permit ,the removalaof the a latter from .the: hold'e;

er- 2 I.

As',-heretofore noted -it is wdesirablein certain types. of, projectors-E to .accuratelylocate-the fidu- V cialzmark'of the-. 'diapo'sitiveson the .opticalaxis of a the instrument. For. this. reasonrthe fldiapositiveholder 2I.- .is.-mounted onthe support II so that; it is 'slidable over-the surface, I 8 and means I arezprovided, for adjusting position..-- In carryingthis out,g.lthreer padsk 26 are adjustably mountedgon thesupport .I I as shownwina Figures... 3 and 6 to extend above the surface-M815 The fiange.;22 of the diaposit-iye holder. :2 ll slidably rests: on these-pads which; are accurately :posi

tioned. and machined. so :that, the facesoof the seatas well as those :of"anydiapositivev mounted l therein :willgbe maintained in plane'swhich are: substantiallyperpendicular to the op'tical axis of the projector. Incidentally; verylaccuratei ma-- I chiming ,of thesurface I8 iandrtheifacesaof the flange 2260f the holdero2I is avoidedibyruseof the.

buttons 23: a'nd pads 26.

The-. adjusting mans for the. holder .2 I makes I useyof a yieldable membensuch asithe flat spring 21;.secured to the support II\as shown in Figure 3. Spring! ZIuengages'ta pairvofadjacent sides of theplate holder and is adapted to constantl urge. it toward the openin'goI5in the support I I; Movement of the holder by the spring-is resisted I by adjustable pressure exerting means-for applyingazvariable, pressure. to each side of the :second pairf'of adjacent sides. of.- the diapositive holderin, a direction whichis substantially perpendicular to these sides: and which .is '=towardsthe opening in the sup'port. II.-

The .;pressure .iatpplyingv means -'emplo-y wedge shapedslide members i 28: for: moving the holder I 2 I against the spfingil'l; slide members 2'8-beingslidably. supportedon'thesurface IBH A pair of slide. members 28.- arev located next to each of the adjacent. sides'o'f the =h0lder2l which are un-- contacted "by? the spring". 21. Each slide" member 28 has a bearingsu'rface which is slidable on a 1 side of the holde'r 2l iandaa second bearing' sunface. which is slidable-bn the working .su'rfacei o f a cam;29-; one.asuch"cam.being provided for each- ,The cams for each pair of slide members 28 are positioned s0 that when the slide members of a pair areat similar locations on their respective cams, the straight bearing surfaces of that pair of slidemembers"will lie in a common plane. By

jdesign thegcains are" mounted on the surface I8 in"su lLmaIin'rTtIiat when the just mentioned condition of adjustment is fulfilled, the planes 'common to the straight bearing surfaces of the 20- pairs of slide members 28 will be substantially perpendicular to each other.

Movement of each pairf of -slide'im'em-bers is effected through a separate?adjusting screw 132-, the =unth'readed central portion of-whichis rotatably supported by a bearing bracket 33 mountedontthe surface l 8. Each threaded end :of each screw .32 engages a threadedwbor'e in an 'adjacent 1 slide .member28za Knurled-finger piecesare provided'on-'each 'screw adjacentlts bracket 33: to

facilitateits' operatiom- It will be apparent that both of-=t-he slidemeifh bers 28:whi'ch are engagedhy a screw =32 will be moved, by like amounts,=overztheir cams 29 'and the side of the holder to which 'they'are adjacent in accordance. @with thearotation" of the' screw.-

.W hen the=slide members of a pair aremo'vedaway from each 'othenxtheir wedge-shape in 'corijun'c'-- tion fwith; their cams, will cause" "theirstraight bearing surfaces to bemoved inwa-rdly towards the opening invthe support I It i This mo'vement of a pair of slide members; cbviouslygcreates' par allel'forces at several locations on theside of theholder. 2 adj acent I the? 'pair of -actuated slide These forces will be transmitted in substantially perpendicular; relation to the side of the-holden-arid in substantiallyparallehrela:

tion to the surface' IB in a direc'tion towardthe members;

opening --inthe support: 1

The resultants of' these parallel forces on aside I oflthe h0lde'ri'2li 'willjofcourse occur- -atpoints substantially equidistant from the centerof theside:on: which; the forces are applied and willpush the holder iin ithea'idirection of- 'theirapplication It is to be noted that the directioii of application of the parallel 'forces developed by a pair of slide members onuone side of the holder-is Isub'sta'n-'- tiallynat-right' angles tothat on the adj acent side of the holder 2|; 1

The .describedmpressure applying -m'e'aiis willcause the holder 2| "to be moved' ag'ains't -thyie1 able memberr'or spring I '2 lt' which latter is sufii ciently strong to constantly r t n a.

against the pairs? of slide' members Movement of each of the slide members 'of a p2 a'.ir--towards'* each other,"-: on 'the -suitable' actuation of 1 their adjusting screw 32, will cause their wit-hdr'awal" towards the outer' edge of I the surfacel 8i -"As" a result; pressure on'th sid ofitheholder, which us moved, will is adjacent the slide members- I be released and energ y stored' {the spring 21 i will cause the holder to be moved-soasto maintain contact with thesIide meinberS.

It will be apparent-that holder*2'l--rnay"be moved backand forth overth'e surfaceIE upon suitable manipulation of theadjusting screws 32 so that;

the flducial mark M nna diapositiv l9 carried in the holder may be centered on the optical,

axis of the projector. To be noted isthe fact that the screw adjustments 32,-provide'a delicate control for the movement of theuholder. This control and the transmission of pressure attwo locations on each-of two sides of the holderflpermit. the latter to be centeredwith a high degree ofaccuracv;

Material twistinghmovement of the vholder 2| during. centering operations, a disadvantage of prior. art devices, is avoided by this; invention.

Such is made possible by contacting each of two adjacent sides of the holder 2| against a paircof bearing. surfaces rathergthan' against the cus-' tomary single bearing surface located centrally of each of such sides and about which the holder is.easily pivoted when the force appliediat such]:

a bearingv surface is notat I normal. incidence thereto. g v

Hold down springs 34, adapted to insure maintenance ofthe holder 2|-inoperating relation to bushing 42 so-thata double eccentric for adjust;-

ing the position of the pad 38 is provided. Suit able rotation of the bolts45 will-determinethe A clamping pressure on the eccentric arm 40 soastov permit adjusting'or-clamping of the, pad 38.

The microscope 36 comprises the body tube 146' supported on a conical shaped hollowmember 41', which; has three substantially equal length legs v 48 located to have their support ends in acommon plane atsubstantially equal distances from eachother, Each leg 48has asimilar ball shaped foot 4 9 This construction provides a tripod-typ of support for the body tube which carries a conventional objective 5|] and has the usual eyepiece... The microscope 36 is constructed and adjusted,

so that its optical axis i substantially normal to the, plane in which the bearing surfaces of the, feet 49v lie and the axis passes through this plane, at a point substantially equidistant from each foot.

A cross hair,' not shownbut provided in-the eye- 'piece, is centered on thoptical-axisof the micro-- SCOPE.

thespring 21 and slide members 28, are secured t'ogthe surface |8 by screws orother fastenings.

Two springs, 34 are employed, one positioned acrosseach corner of the holder 2| which is ada I jacent an end of the spring 21., Each spring 34 is .provided with a contact button adapted to w be. held *in bearing with the upper surface of the 030 Assuming that the contact surfaces of the Sides holder 2|. v

of "the-holder, slide members .28 and cams 29 are machined withgood accuracyand that the positions -,of the cams are properly adjusted, theuse of hold down springs34 is-unnecessary to the,

operation of the instrument. 'From a practical '1 standpoint, however, .to care for inequalities of.

adjustmen'tfof' the earns 29, springs 34 are employed to counteract any tendency of the holder 2|. to becomedisplaced from .its operating position.

In practice, the 'fiducial mark on thediapositive is aligned with the optical axis of the pro- :iector with the aid of a three legged centering microscope 3.6 such as shown in Figure 2. Micro-.

scope 36 is adapted to be removably mounted on.

the surfacelfl when the-housing I0 is removed fromthesupport sothat the optical'axis of the microscope substantially coincides with that 3 of the projector. For this purpose three pads 31, v

38 and 39 are provided on the surface |8 to'sup- As already indicated, centering of a diapositive is dependent on the microscope 36 being I mounted on the support so that the optical axes of the microscope and the projector substantially coincide; Attainment'of this condition is controlled by the positions of the microscope pads.

with respect to each other. The centers of pads 31 and 39 are separated bya distance which is substantially equal to thatl between the centers of any pair of feet of the microscope and pad33 is located so that when it is adjusted, itscenter will be at a similar distance from the centers of l the other pads.

The positioning of pad 38 is made in amanner well known. to the art. the pad being held in adjusted'position by engagement of itsclamp collar 44.J' As aresult' of this adjustment, themicro l scope 36 when seated on its pads will be held in the desired position. Adjustment of the, micro-{ scope pads is a part of the mechanical adjustment of the projector and once made i repeated only]. to care for displacement of the pad 38 relative to 'the pads 31 and 39.

With the microscope pads in adjustment, a diapositive I9 is located in projecting position by first removing the housing ID from' the support and th'en placing the diapositive in the holder 2|. The fiducial mark 20 of the diapositive is thenroughly centeredwithrespect to the opening in the holder port; the microscope feet. Pads 31.and 39 have support surfaces which are respectively-flat and in the shape of a tapered slot. Both of the pads 3! and 39 are fixedly: secured to the surface l8 by. c

for, example, the threaded fastening means shown in Figure5. Pad 38, which hasa conical support surface,is adjustably mounted on the surface l8 7 --so,that its center may be located at equal dis-- tances from the centers of the other pads.

All of the microscope pads on the surface I8 areadapted to support the feet of the-microscope- 36in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to. the; optical axis of' the projector- As pad 39 is located below one of the hold down 'springs34, this springis provided withia'n enlarged portion having an opening to permit a microscope leg to extend therethrough.

.With reference to Figures 4 mounted on an eccentric arm40, the pin 4| of which is journalled in a bushing 42 rotatable in a I and f7, pad 38 is bearinglplate 43. Plate 43 iscarried below the surf-ace |8' by the use of a clamp collar 44 which slips .over the pad3'8and is secured to'this plate I byl'bolts 45. Pin 4| is located eccentrically of the feet of themicroscope, that instrumentwill be mounted onfsuppor-t ||'so that its optical axis '00- *incides with that of the projector.

ZU'through the microscope and by the proper actuation of the adjusting screws 32 to suitably move the holder2| until the fiducial mark is aligned with the cross hairs in the microscope eyee piece. When this latter is accomplished, the mark 20 on the diapositive will be located on the optical axis of the projector. The microscope may'now be removed andthe housing I0 remounted on the support. following which procedure,the diapositive is ready to be projected in the usual man ner.

From the the aims and objects of the invention have been It is now only necessary to observe the mark foregoing, it will be appreciated that z attained in that there has been 'provided 'an imf proved projection system-7 which makes" "'iise of novel means for adjusting the "position "or the} transpare'nby'to be displayed; Atthesaiiri time";

adjusting 'the 'posi'tio'n of a 'diapbsitiv'e, whichare of"simple""coristructiori"and operation "and irvhijh permit'adjustrner'itwith'a fine'degree of precision? Weclaim':

tio'n "syste'rn having "separated'il'ens "means; *"a I sup porfiinternose'd between said lens 'rneans, an ob -ff ject' holder 'slidable over "a "surface" of said sup port, the sup ort" having an Opening Whibh 'ex ifl said system e'ziteridingthrough said epn nig, 11 1aing r'ne'arisf carried' by" said support; for engaging it? in moi'n' tedhosition on;

saidholder toret'ai saidsu' pprt; a ingie elongateresilient means I! the support" 'yi'e'lda'biy" engaging a hair 'of adj'o ing *sids' ofsaid sewer; separately actuated slid 7 ing means engaging each of a pair of different" adjaoe'rit lsidesfof said holder" and {movable there: alori obliqne' paths", of movement to furgef said 'sys'tnfeoihfirisingseparated "l ens' n eans' an light source," sai lens means and; light s oiie'j" aligned *ontheb'ptic'al axis of said system; a "spp port having an opening; one" of saiddensfrneT carried in said opening, the surfacefo saidfs'lippose surr an figfsaid 'QD'Iiin'g' being substah- I circular w said optical ax s, ari ob ri or 'said Support I engaging a pair horde; t w as 'rnee nterf-br said opening; a hair 1e e isupmivo osite each J v a secqnd pair- 0f adjae'enp sigsjbr. said 'j holder," a separatsiide ineinbeif'n ovablefover useless I d'gingsaid homered adjacent sides opposite the tendsthr'oug'h" said surface, "the optical axis of '15'sides"erigafged'by'fsaid resilint me'a'riskme'ans for sel''tively oving themean's 'slidably" engaging the holder inf obliqiie"paths relative" to the s idesengaged" thereby? saiwmoilem'enr of said en'g'a'ging means "urging" said holder ina direction jop "ed-*posite to the direction of movement creatd'by" -5. Ano ticar instrqme'nt having a projection system comprising 'separated'lens j means; a light source,""saidlensmeans fand "light source aligned" holder in angiilarly"displa'ced'paths of movement orithebptic'alaxis ofsaijds'ystem, a'supp'ort'hav;

' inganlbp'ening, onibfsaid lens' 'r'n'eansearried" in said ".bpenirig," the surfactant "said sup ort sur rounfii g" bperii'ng being-substantially per 1 I I I pendidular .tosaidopti'calaXisL'ariiapertured plat 2. zfinjopticai instrument-having a projection; --ho1der slidably mounted on said sur face a 'pair of "resilientmeans" yiel'da'bly exerting 'angulalfly reia'ted forces against an"adjacent pair of edges of said holder; th re'suita'rit"ofsaidforces tendingto move saidholdracrosssaid'opening, =inde'-' 35' "pendently*operated""adjlistirig "means "engaging opposite;"adjacenflpairs" ofedges of said holder;' each meansbomp'ri'singa paii""ofmembers" en'- gaging an edge 'at'fspacedpointsthreailbhg; in

dependent operatiofiofsa'idf adjustin 'means' eX'-" idsofsaid holder fOI'f uI'girig the (510"ertingjparaliel' forces o'ppositetoone of the com:

' ponents of said resultant force and moving said i holder; relative to. said :opening' \ivhereby said holder may;-rbe'adjusted relative tosaid support so thatithe aperture therein" may be brought into" each am, a li member h ngg substantial" registry with the" "opening" of said "is in bearing 11 .h ime -m e emj s r vnei imii a i is m sf whs byjtojoau'se" their movement over their respective and separate actuating means conneoted pqea pair 'of movabi means to "slide" t an over th laser-the holder opposite sues j tf' t f plurality-off camniingimeans onjs'aidfhold for; f

support.

6.;In" a projectionr'sy's'tem', a support provided with'amopenin through which the'iop'tical axis ofthe -system"passes, 1a plate" holdefhaving an opening"therethroughlfsaid "holder being slidabl'y mounted on "saidsupport' wh'erebythe" opening" theret-hro'ugh "may be "aligned with "the "0pening'" of: said support? ari elongated resilient member v v fixd'iinteirnediat the" endsthiefilf to Said S'up-" f'ifihe system" pa ss es'andfari'objjeothoide ff' port; the 'oppositeends of said inemberyieldably engaging"'adjacentsides of said'holderan'd urg-" ing" said holder across" the'bpen'ing of said sup-" ort, a "pair of slide members engaging "ac'hbf' theireri'iaining "side'sof said holder; 9; single 'actiiat or for"h1'c 'Ving 'eachT pair of slides; and cam means engaging said slide' memb'ers for causing said-fsli'd'e"members'as th'ey are moved relative: to said earnmean' to apply'forces to; said holder directed toward'the center Of said Opening 'thi byfimving' safdfholdr against the action if said oblique to the side of the holder engaged thereby Y whereby the position of the'holder is adjusted in accordance with the position of said engaging means, said yieldable means urging said holder against said sliding means in all positions thereof.

- OLIN W. BOU HTON.

HENRY KURTZ. 

